#OTES AND QUERIES. 425 



which I take to be Vespertilio serotinus. We had a rough, rainy, windy 

 evening, and about 7 p.m., seeing several large bats flying about, to make 

 sure they were not the Noctules returning to their winter quarters, I shot 

 two of them. One, the largest and darkest, measured 15 in. from tip to 

 tip of the wings; the other, much lighter in colour, measured 14^ in. 

 If I am correct in determining the species, it is certain that this bat exceeds 

 the Noctule in size. I take it, the lightest coloured one is a young specimen. 

 The dentition of each specimen agrees with V. serotinus, but one is injured 

 by a shot in the mouth. The measurements, taken in inches and tenths" 

 are as follows : — Expanse of wings, tip to tip, 15 in. ; one wing, 65 ; fore 

 arm or humerus, *9; radius, 2*1 ; 1st digit, 2 in. ; 2nd digit, 0*8; 3rd 

 digit, 0*4 ; tail from vent, 23 ; body and head from vent, 2 - 8 ; length of 

 head, lin.; length of ear, posteriorly, 08; ditto, anteriorly, 0*5. The 

 smaller of the two specimens measured only 14*5 in. in expanse of wing. 

 The colour above is dark umber-brown; underneath, mouse-coloured; 

 ears and wing-membranes nearly black. Nostrils fringed with hairs ; eyes 

 rather large; ears directed outward, and triangular; tragus narrow, 

 pointing forward. I have seen no Noctules since I last wrote in August. — 

 Geokge Dowker (Stourmouth House, Wingham, Kent). 



CETACEA. 

 A White Porpoise. — I recently saw (Oct. 5th) on the Holderness 

 coast, near the Spurn, a white Porpoise, closely accompanied and rolling 

 with one of the normal colour, within fifty yards of the shore at high- 

 water. It was a bright, clear day, and the appearance of the creature was 

 particularly striking and attractive. The general colour white, — I can 

 perhaps best describe it as the colour of a tallow-candle, — and inclining to 

 deep pink about the roots of the dorsal fin and tail. There was a dusky 

 narrow streak from the head backward along the centre of the back, but this 

 did not extend in any degree down the sides ; the dorsal fin, and also the 

 caudal fin, or extremity of the tail, white, edged with dusky, after the 

 mauner of a black-edged envelope. — John Cordeaux (Eaton Hall, Retford). 



BIRDS. 



A new Work on the Birds of Devonshire. — Ornithologists will be 

 pleased to hear that Mr. W. S. M. D'Urban, of Moorlands, Exmouth, and 

 the Rev. Murray A. Mathew, of Buckland Dinham, Frome, have joined 

 forces to bring out a work on Devonshire birds. Their joint notes and 

 observations, collected for the last twenty-five years, cannot fail to be 

 valuable. Mr. D'Urban 's researches extend chiefly to the south of the 

 county, Mr. Mathew's to the north. Correspondents who may have 

 anything of interest to communicate will therefore know to whom they 

 should be sent. 



